If given the chance, any collector would go for young stars with established stocks in the rookie card market. In this regard, some of the guys who reign supreme are Ja Morant and Luka Doncic, among others. To an extent, one can make a case for promising prospects, such as Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey. Among all of these players, no one would have expected the Phoenix Suns' Cameron Johnson to be considered.
To be fair, the Phoenix Suns’ forward has an intriguing skill set and untapped potential in the market. The thing is, he isn’t just a sexy name in the hobby. His recent performances, meanwhile, show otherwise.
Why Cameron Johnson rookie cards are on the rise
It isn't easy to stand out in a team like the Suns. You've got a future Hall of Fame inductee in Chris Paul, an elite score in Devin Booker, and a big man that can't be ignored in Deandre Ayton, among others. That's why it's fairly understandable for most collectors to pass on Johnson in the market.
It doesn't help too that Johnson's numbers don't pop out when one sees them. During his first two seasons in the NBA, the 6'8″ forward averaged a combined 9.2 points by hitting 42% from the field, 36% from deep, and 82% from the free throw line. He also contributed 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists during that period.
In his third season in the NBA and after going to the NBA Finals almost a year ago, Johnson has played more games as a reserve. In his current role, the 25-year old forward is called upon to make some buckets and put up a credible defense on the other end of the court. This has resulted in a slight uptick in his numbers to 12.8 points on 47 shooting from the field, a career-high 44% on 5.9 attempts from three, and 87% from downtown. He's also adding 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 26.3 minutes per contest.
While those stats come in handy for the Suns, they aren't really top dog material, a factor that can boost a player's stock in the market. But that isn't the case during Johnson's last six games. In a streak of matches against the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans, Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks, the forward saw himself on the rise in several key aspects of his game.
In an average of 29.8 minutes during that six-game stretch, John is notching 21.8 points by connecting 58% of his field goals, 57% from beyond the arc, and 92% from the foul line. He's also posting 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists during that period.
Perhaps the exclamation point of Johnson's recent games is his match against the New York Knicks at home. During that contest, the Suns' forward came off the bench to score 38 points by connecting 11 of his 16 shots from the field, including 9 three-pointers out of 12 attempts. And even an altercation with Julius Randle, which saw the Knicks' star ejected right after, didn't faze Johnson to help deliver the win for Phoenix.
The Knicks were up 114-112 with 4.1 seconds remaining on the clock as Cameron Payne ran the court. The guard then dished the ball to Johnson, who was far away from the three-point line, and immediately swished it to hit the game-winner. As a result, Phoenix came out on top with a 115-114 win, thanks to Johnson's career night.
With Paul and Booker missing some time for the Suns, Johnson's recent performances couldn't have come at a better time. This bodes well for those Cameron Johnson cards as Phoenix seeks to finish the regular season as the NBA's top team.
The state of Cameron Johnson rookie cards
Cameron's stock in the market has seen a lot of movement since the start of this month. Needless to say, his recent performances are being reflected in the hobby.
In a three-month graph by Card Ladder, Johnson's PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card started $15 last year and even went down to $12 a couple of days ago. At this point in time, It has risen to $26, which represents a 71.59% increase during the said period.
In another graph, a rarer PSA 10 Prizm Silver rookie card of Johnson started at $46, fell all the way to the bottom at $21, and jumped to its current price of $101. That's a 121% spike in value from where it was late last year,
As the data shows, collectors have been eyeing Johnson as a good buy, especially with his increased offensive role for the Suns. This shows in the recent uptick in his rookie card value, especially during the past few days.
The verdict on Cameron Johnson rookie cards
It's true that Johnson's rookie stock in the hobby isn't the first one collectors would gravitate to, if given the chance. He isn't the number one option for the Suns, nor does he consistently get enough minutes every night to build up his value in the market.
But while all of these things are true, there are several factors that are on the forward's side. For starters, Johnson is playing for the to-seeded Suns, not only in the Western Conference, but in the entire league. Playing for a contender and contributing significant minutes will help elevate his standing in the market.
And speaking of the market, the prices of those Cameron Johnson rookie cards are still enticing, especially when compared to Luka Doncic or Ja Morant's card stocks. This can be a great short-term play where collectors can buy low and sell them at their peak during a potentially impressive playoff game in the coming months.
Of course, it wouldn't hurt to get an affordable Prizm Silver rookie card or two to keep for the long-term. The upside is there and if Johnson's role on offense grows to resemble that of Klay Thompson, an elite shooter from beyond the arc, expect his graded cards to become a potential keeper in the future.
But in all of these, collectors should keep in mind that entering Johnson's stock at a very low price is the key here. Whether you flip it for a quick profit or keep it as a long-term investment, getting these cards at a low price is a must for a guy with no proven foundation yet in the card market.
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